Lobelia plant named &#39;lobmounwi&#39;

ABSTRACT

A new and distinct cultivar of  Lobelia  plant named ‘Lobmounwi’ characterized by its upright plant habit, strong branching, large flower size and white flower color.

LATIN NAME OF THE GENUS AND SPECIES OF THE PLANT CLAIMED

Lobelia erinus

VARIETAL DENOMINATION

‘Lobmounwi’

BACKGROUND OF THE NEW PLANT

The present invention comprises a new and distinct Lobelia plantbotanically known as Lobelia erinus and referred to by the cultivar name‘Lobmounwi.’

The new cultivar is propagated by cuttings resulting from the crossbetween ‘R616’ and ‘A950.’ ‘R616’ is a white flower color selection ofour own breeding, having a mounding to semitrailing habit, very stronggrowth, good branching plant habit and being early flowering. ‘A950’ isa white flower color selection of our own breeding, having a stronggrowth, semitrailing plant habit and not very branching. Neither ‘R616’or ‘A950’ has been patented.

As a result of this cross the present cultivar was created in 2001 inEnkhuizen, Netherlands and has been repeatedly asexually reproduced bycuttings in Enkhuizen, Netherlands over a five year period. It has beenfound to retain its distinctive characteristics through successivepropagations and this novelty appears to be firmly fixed.

DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWING

This new Lobelia plant is illustrated by the accompanying photographicdrawing which shows blooms, buds and foliage of the plant in full color,the color showing being as true as can be reasonably obtained byconventional photographic procedures.

DESCRIPTION OF THE NEW CULTIVAR

The following detailed descriptions set forth the distinctivecharacteristics of this new Lobelia. The data which defines thesecharacteristics were collected from asexual reproductions carried out inEnkhuizen, Netherlands. The plant history was taken on 20 week oldplants.

Color readings were taken in the laboratory under ambient light. Colorreferences are primarily to the R.H.S. Color Chart of The RoyalHorticultural Society of London. TABLE 1 DIFFERENCES BETWEEN ‘LOBMOUNWI’AND THE MOST RESEMBLING VARIETY ‘Weslowei’ ‘Lobmounwi’ (U.S. Pat. No.12,708) Plant height 20 cm 20 cm width 40 cm 45 cm shape UprightSpreading to upright Flower upper surface N155A N155A occasionally 97Bcolor lower surface N155A N155A flower tube N155A N155A Petiole Notpresent Present Leaves Lanceolate to Ovate ovate Margin of old leavesEntire Crenate

THE PLANT

-   Classification:    -   -   Botanical.—Lobelia erinus.        -   Female parent.—A seedling named ‘R616’ is one of our            seedlings from our R-generation of plants bred in 1997.        -   Male parent.—A seedling named ‘A950’ is one of our seedlings            from our A-generation of plants bred in 1999.        -   Growth habit.—Upright.        -   Plant height.—20 cm.        -   Spreading area of plant.—45 cm.        -   Growth rate.—Strong growth.        -   Strength.—Good.        -   Branching character.—Freely branching and lateral branching            at every node. Pinching will enhance branching. Branches            strong and flexible.        -   Blooming period.—From May until October.-   The stem:    -   -   Diameter.—1.5 mm.        -   Texture.—Smooth, slightly pubescent, glossy.        -   Color.—RHS 143A.        -   Length of internode.—6-25 mm, depending on light conditions            where the plant is grown, and the age of the stem.        -   Shape.—(Tri)angular.-   The foliage:    -   -   Shape.—Leaves simple, generally symmetrical and flat.            Broadly ovate with rounded apex, obtuse and attenuate base            and crenate margin in young plant; more lanceolate with            entire margin in mature plant.        -   Texture.—Slightly pubescent, glossy.        -   Length.—25 mm, leaves of juvenile plants up to 40 mm.        -   Width.—In juvenile plant up to 20 mm, mature plant 5 mm.        -   Color.—— Upper surface: RHS 137B, RHS 137C in young leaves —            Lower surface: RHS 137C, RHS 137C in young leaves.        -   Petiole.—Not present.-   The flower:    -   -   Type and habit.—Flowers form at apical axils, usually one            flower per axil. Flowers labiate, upper lip consisting of            two small petals and lower lip consisting of three larger            and broader petals.        -   Lastingness.—10-14 days depending on temperature. Petals are            fused at base into a tube. Freely and continuously            flowering, around 100-150 flowers. Flowers face outward.            Texture, slightly pubescent. Oblong shape with acute apex            and entire margin.        -   Flower.—— Width: Upper petals 1 mm, lower petals 6 mm —            Length: Upper petals 5 mm, lower petals 8 mm — Depth: 13 mm.        -   Texture.—Smooth, pubescent.        -   Buds.—— Length: 10 mm — Diameter: 3 mm — Form: Tubular —            Color: Light green.        -   Flower color.—— Upper surface: RHS N155A — Lower surface:            RHS N155A — Flower tube: RHS N155A.        -   Sepals.—— No. of sepals: 5 — Length: 6 mm — Width: 0.5 mm —            Texture: Smooth, slightly pubescent — Color: RHS 143C.        -   Flower stem.—— Length: 20 mm — Angle: 45 degrees — Stength:            Rigid, flexible —Color: RHS 137B.        -   Flower throat.—— Color: Upper N155A — Lower N155A at base of            the lower petals, where the throat starts, there are 2            yellow marking into the throat (length 8 mm, width 0.5 mm,            RHS 2A) — Texture: Whiskered — Depth: 8 mm.-   Reproductive organs:    -   -   Androecium.—Stamen number: 5 Anther shape: Oblong Anther            length: 2 mm Anther color: RHS 200A Amount of pollen:            Moderate Pollen color: RHS 9B.        -   Gynoecium.—Pistil length: About 8 mm Stigma shape: Bilobate            Stigma diameter: 1 mm Stigma color: RHS N80C Style color:            RHS 150B Ovary color: RHS 143B.-   Seed development: Some seed development has been observed on plants    of the new Lobelia.-   Seed:    -   -   Color.—Brown.        -   Shape.—Round.        -   Size.—Very small, like dust.        -   Amount per seed pod.—Approximately 2000.-   Fruit:    -   -   Fruit size.—— Diameter: 2 mm — Length: 5 mm.        -   Fruit color.—RHS 146B.-   Disease resistance: No susceptibility or resistance to fungal,    bacterial, or viral pathogens has been noted.

1. A new and distinct cultivar of Lobelia plant named ‘Lobmounwi’, assubstantially illustrated and described herein.